


Warm

by Skippyin



Category: A Hat in Time (Video Game)
Genre: Abuse, Gen, Sort Of, TIme Paradox AU, it can be seen as a basic Snatcher origin, not really - Freeform, nothing too intense tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-16
Updated: 2018-10-16
Packaged: 2019-08-02 20:30:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16312202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skippyin/pseuds/Skippyin
Summary: A chained Prince discovers something deep inside himself.Hatred.





	Warm

**Author's Note:**

> Just something I had in my head that I wanted to get out. It's kind of messy, sorry for that.

How much time had passed? He wasn’t sure. His attempts at keeping track were fruitless so he just resigned himself to not knowing. He hung limply against the wall, his toes barely touched the ground holding relief just out of his reach as his wrists held the brunt of his weight. The cuffs dug into his skin causing a constant sting of pain. Oh, how he wished he could defy gravity. How he wished he could melt the imperfect metal cuffs and finally give himself _relief_.

But no, he didn’t have magic as freely as Vanessa. Royal blood may flow through his veins, but the trait that blessed royals magical power was merely _recessive_ in his genes. He hadn’t minded it of course, but now, he wished he had access to that wellspring of magic apparently sealed deep within him. Access to some sort of power or ability so as to not be completely helpless. Unfortunately, that was just what he was. Helpless, heartbroken, useless…

Well...Maybe not useless.

The monster his Vanessa turned into seemed to still want him around, considering he wasn’t frozen solid like his subjects. He had heard the sounds of the massacre in the manor from his prison, and he didn’t want to think about what outside looked like. Still, if he was still alive, then surely she must want him for something. He just hoped he could talk to her and make her see reason without having her fly into another dangerous rage.

It was well known that magic was linked to emotions, the stronger the emotion the stronger the magic. However, that increased risk of the magic absolutely consuming the caster, resulting in a dreadful beast. It was why children of any royal family were taught self-control. His father had been masterful at it, giving way to no emotion, be it joy, sorrow, anger, or pride. He was amazing at poker, naturally. His father always reminded him that even if his magic was forever dormant, he too must have control over his emotions, lest it awaken something dangerous. “Royal blood is powerful blood,” His father would say, “And that power must be controlled, or it spells death for us all.”

The fact that Vanessa, his beautiful Vanessa, allowed herself to be swallowed up by her own magic in anger absolutely shattered him. What had happened? What had he done that upset her so? He thought she would be excited to see him again, yet when he returned home he found her barely containing herself; accusing him of _betraying_ her and locking him up.

His father probably rolled in his grave at the fit he had thrown when he had been chained. Like a child, he had cried and screamed openly. Cried till there were no more tears to shed, and screamed till his throat grew horse. Now he was just tired. He couldn’t muster up the strength to openly express himself any longer, but that didn’t stop the storm of despair in his mind and heart.

Sadness for the love he lost.

Anger for the baseless accusations and unfit punishment.

Grief for the countless lives lost to her madness.

Fear for his own fate.

 

* * *

 

 

The first time she came down to visit him she wrung his neck. She screamed and sobbed as she squeezed his throat with clawed hands. He tried to speak to her, but all that came out were quiet wheezes and sounds of pain. He thought he was going to die then and there, but just as he thought darkness would consume him Vanessa’s grip loosened and air rushed into his lungs. He took a deep breath, greedily taking in as much oxygen as he could while she watched him with glowing red eyes, her hands rested on his shoulders. He couldn’t register much, his mind was a jumbled mess of fear and sorrow. All he knew was that he wanted it to stop, but knew he’d never get such satisfaction. His body trembled and some tears fell from his eyes, but he barely registered that when the clawed hands came up to gently hold his face between them, a stark contrast to the violence used just moments ago.

Vanessa cooed and wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes with her thumbs. He dared not move away in fear of her reaction.

“You’re so warm,” She said, her cold hands stung against his cheeks but nothing more. He was forced to look up at her, golden eyes met with mad red, and a smile graced her lips. “Body so warm, eyes so bright, you always reminded me of the cozy fireplace, or the helpful little candle, or the bright beautiful sun. Always so warm, so bright, so perfect.” A hand combed through his hair, carefully picking at the knots. “Remember how we’d cuddle in the Winter time? I never minded the cold, but your _warmth_. So inviting, so calming, like nothing bad could ever happen when I was in your arms…”

The combing abruptly stopped and she went strangely still. He tensed up slightly, preparing for her to snap once more. It didn’t happen, instead, she just leaned in closer till their faces were mere inches apart.

“There are old legends that tell of the Gods withholding Fire from early man because they were not worthy of it,” Her breath was ice cold, her voice barely above a whisper, “And that we only received its gift because a warrior went and stole it from them… But I won’t let _anyone_ take you from me.”

“Vanessa please--Mph!” His plea was cut off as she locked their lips in a kiss.

A strong feeling of Disgust joined the chorus of emotions swirling in his heart that all came together to create the first seeds of Hatred.

Visits that followed would go pretty much the same way. She’d lose her temper for a bit, take it out on him, then perform a complete flip and he’d be forced into a kiss as she whispered how much she adored him into his ears. Not once did she offer to free him of his shackles.

His wrists had gone numb.

He wanted to leave, he wanted this nightmare to end, he wanted to get away from her. The cuffs held strong, but so did his resolve for freedom.

When he was alone, his emotions bubbled under the surface, eating away at him. It was all boiling down into something he couldn’t describe. A warmth in his chest that for some reason gave him hope. So he let it stew, let this Hatred grow, allowed it to burn and consume his other emotions. Every time she visited him, it would grow. Every time he felt his wrists bleed, it would grow. Every time he heard the footsteps of a foolish soul running from her only to stop moments later, it would grow. He never showed it. On the outside, his face completely lacked emotion, but his insides _burned_.

More and more he gave to the Burning, to keep it going, to keep it alive. But, oh, how foolish he was.

For soon he ran out of things to burn.

The fire went out, leaving him with nothing.

For the first time in a long time, he felt Cold.

When Vanessa came to visit, he felt nothing. When he realized that he no longer bled, he felt nothing. When he heard the scared cries of a new victim, he felt nothing.

He was Empty. His heart no longer beat in his chest, his insides hollow with the dark void left by the fire that consumed him. He felt strangely lighter, which relieved the weight on his wrists significantly. Yet there was still a heavy weight in his chest as if his charred heart had chains of its own. He pondered over it, in his numb state. It wasn’t like he had anything better to do.

It wasn’t until Vanessa’s next visit that it hit him and the chains holding his heart unlocked.

“Vanessa, da-darling….” He managed to say when Vanessa pulled away from their usual kiss.

He felt her hands tense slightly around his face as if surprised by his voice. “Yes, my Prince?”

“I - I don’t know…” He wheezed. He could no longer breathe, having long since sacrificed his lungs to the Burning, so his voice was like a gentle breeze and could barely manage a whisper.

“What don’t you know, love?” She gently stroked his cheek.

He slowly lifted his head to look at her, his bright eyes glowing in the dark of the basement, a spark of _something_ in them.

“I don’t know… How I could have ever loved you.”

The silence was deafening, and he grinned despite himself as the chains from his heart finally fell away. He felt lighter, impossibly so, as something new surged within him. Not satisfying enough to fill the still lingering Emptiness, but it did feel as if something clicked and slid into its proper place. He found himself laughing, going from barely being able to speak to a loud booming voice that filled the basement and echoed off the walls.

“How could I have ever loved you?! I was so blind! You were crazy from the start!” He laughed hysterically as her hands slowly fell from his face. It was just so _funny_ how _stupid_ he was! He laughed and laughed and laughed some more, this new feeling swelled and overtook him, making him feel high. There was an enraged shriek and suddenly her clawed hands were digging into his shoulders. He didn’t bleed.

“My Prince would never say that to me! He’d never say that!” She screamed in his face.

He met her angry eyes with a wicked smile.

“I’m not your Prince,” He all but spat the word in her face, “Not anymore!”

She grabbed his face in her hand, pulled his head forward, and then slammed it back into the bricks with an unholy shriek. He barely felt it. She slammed his head back again and repeated the motion for several minutes before she left, still enraged.

Silence once more settled in the basement and he was once more left alone to his thoughts. Despite his smile, tears began to spill over from his eyes, he quickly blinked them away and focussed on this new feeling inside him. He felt strong and new, but cold and empty at the same time. Most importantly, he felt _powerful_ and _free_.

Well, not quite free.

He looked at the chains that held him for so long. He tugged at it but nothing happened. He kept at it, gritting his teeth (were they sharper?), as he pulled and tugged and then finally, finally something happened. His wrist slipped through, followed by the other one shortly after. He rubbed at his wrists, flexing the darkened clawed tips of his fingers. It was then he realized that he should have splashed down into the water flooding the floor. Looking down he found himself floating, just above the water’s surface. Bright yellow eyes stared back at him from his reflection.

He smiled.

And allowed the magic to take him.

 

* * *

 

Freedom was nice, but the forest had changed. It didn’t matter though, because he had changed too. Small animals ran from him, anything that could have been a threat was easily dealt with, but something was still wrong.

It was that lingering Emptiness. It just wouldn’t go away and the longer it remained the more annoying it got. What was it? Why was it so stubborn? It was really killing (hah) the mood. He suspected it might be connected to his magic. It was strong but something told him it could be… More. Something told him satisfying the Emptiness was key. But what would do the trick?

It wasn’t until he stumbled across a freshly dead body that he found his answer.

Subcon had filled with all kinds of dangerous beasts and spirits over the years, so it wasn’t much a surprise to find that some idiot had wound up getting himself killed. No, the surprise came from the orb he saw floating up and away from the corpse. The Emptiness in him twisted and he rushed for the orb of light before he lost sight of it.

It was small for a soul, then again this was his first time actually _seeing_ one. He was able to catch it before it got too far, easily plucking it out of the air with clawed fingers. The Emptiness inside him yearned, so he decided to finally satisfy it.

He swallowed the orb and smiled.

He felt Warm.


End file.
